Laptops

Janet Jackson can cause some old laptops to crash

Windows XP is affected

Published

August 19, 2022

Luigi Leonardo

Especially for a certain age group, Janet Jackson’s music is fire. However, if you’re an old, old laptop, you might not appreciate how fiery Janet Jackson is. In a recently discovered quirk, engineers have discovered that the artist’s 1989 hit, “Rhythm Nation,” causes certain laptops to crash.

Yes, it sounds made up. How can one song cause a laptop to crash? Apparently, the classic hit uses the same “natural resonant frequencies” as some hard drives made before. Even then, it still doesn’t sound real.

Unfortunately, there is no way to replicate the phenomenon, besides a report from The Old New Thing author Raymond Chen. He swears that the problem existed way back when. The issue affected laptops released around 2005 during the Windows XP era, particularly with 5400rpm drives. Most devices from that time period have already died.

Additionally, the issue was likely patched already. Chen states that affected hard drives eventually installed an audio filter that prevented the problem from occurring.

On the bright side, it also means that everyone’s laptops are safe from exploding because of Janet Jackson. Still, it’s a strange tale that confirms some audio files can wreak havoc on technology. Likewise, if you happen to have a functioning device from that era, you might want to keep it away from Janet Jackson.

Deals

Get the MacBook Neo for as low as PhP 44 a day via Home Credit

Flexible installment payment plans available

Published

April 16, 2026

GadgetMatch

Home Credit is making the MacBook Neo accessible to more Filipinos with an exclusive pre-order installment offer for the new Apple laptop.

The latest offering can be brought home through flexible installments starting at as low as just PhP 44 a day. That’s not even a dollar a day.

This exclusive offer is available during the pre-order period from April 11 to 23. If you’re looking for a high-performance laptop at a great value, then now is the ideal time to upgrade or purchase your first higher tier notebook.

Here’s a quick breakdown of available Home Credit MacBook Neo installment plans:

256GB at 24 months: PhP 44/day
256GB at 12 months: PhP 82/day
512GB at 24 months: PhP 51/day
512GB at 12 months: PhP 97/day

Apple MacBook Neo

The Apple MacBook Neo is the company’s latest laptop, which is also its most affordable. It retails at just about US$ 499 to US$ 599 in the United States and SG$ 729 to SG$ 849 in Singapore.

It runs on an A18 Pro chip for 50% faster everyday performance compared to Intel Core Ultra 5-level PCs. This chip also has a 16-core Neural Engine for Apple Intelligence and 5-core GPU for graphics workloads.

The portable and lightweight laptop has a 13-inch 2408 x 1506 display, two USB-C ports, a headphone jack, and Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 6 connectivity.

The MacBook Neo ships with MacOS Tahoe, complete with apps like Safari, Photos, Messages, and FaceTime. Users are promised up to 16 hours of usage on a single charge.

In the Philippines, the device is available at Apple Authorized Resellers and Home Credit Philippines partner stores nationwide, including:

Abenson
Aerophone
Beyond the Box
Blue Box
Cell Boy
Digimap
Electroworld
Fone Style
Gadget Headz
Greentelcom
Inbox Stores PH
Laycom
Octagon
PC Express
Power Mac Center
Puerto Electronico
Silicon Valley
thinkingtools@mall
The Loop
Wiltelcom
8telcom

Laptops

MacBook Neo pre-orders now open through Beyond the Box

Exclusive freebies, more perks available

Published

April 12, 2026

GadgetMatch

Customers in the Philippines can now pre-order the MacBook Neo through Beyond the Box.

Those who avail of the device during the pre-order period can get up to PhP 10,000 worth in freebies. This is a curated bundle of essential accessories.

The MacBook Neo will also appear at these two cafes, inviting those who plan on upgrading to experience Apple’s new offering first-hand:

April 16: Scout’s Honor, Uptown Mall
April 17: The Matcha Tokyo, Opus Mall

Attendees who pre-order on the spot will also enjoy complimentary beverage, live DJ performances, and the opportunity to engage with social media personalities.

And to ensure the MacBook Neo is more accessible, Beyond the Box is offering 0% interest installment plans. This is both through major credit cards, Home Credit, and GCash’s GGives.

Reservations can be made through all Beyond the Box, Digital Walker, and open_sources branches nationwide.

Alternatively, the MacBook Neo is available through beyondthebox.ph, Lazada, and Shopee. It is priced at PhP 33,990 (education) and PhP 39,990 (retail).

Apple MacBook Neo

The Apple MacBook Neo is the company’s latest laptop, which is also its most affordable. It retails at just about US$ 499 to US$ 599 in the United States and SG$ 729 to SG$ 849 in Singapore.

The portable and lightweight laptop has a 13-inch 2408 x 1506 display, two USB-C ports, a headphone jack, and Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 6 connectivity.

The MacBook Neo ships with MacOS Tahoe, complete with apps like Safari, Photos, Messages, and FaceTime. Users are promised up to 16 hours of usage on a single charge.

Gaming

Razer Blade 16 (2026) packs more cores, faster memory

Razer’s thinnest gaming laptop yet

Published

March 26, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

Razer has officially unveiled the 2026 version of its Blade 16, doubling down on what it does best: squeezing high-end performance into an ultra-slim chassis.

This year’s refresh focuses on meaningful internal upgrades. That includes a new Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, faster LPDDR5X memory, and NVIDIA’s latest RTX 50 Series laptop GPUs — all while keeping the Blade 16 as the thinnest gaming laptop in Razer’s lineup.

Performance gets a serious bump

At the core of the new Blade 16 is the Intel Core Ultra 9 386H, featuring 16 cores and up to 4.9GHz boost clock. Razer claims a 33% increase in core count versus the previous generation, translating to stronger performance across gaming, content creation, and AI workloads.

There’s also an integrated NPU capable of up to 50 TOPS, enabling faster on-device AI tasks like image generation and live translation.

Memory gets a notable upgrade too. The Blade 16 now supports up to 64GB of LPDDR5X-9600MHz RAM, which Razer positions as the fastest available in a laptop today. The result: quicker responsiveness for heavy multitasking, creative apps, and AI-assisted workflows.

On the graphics side, NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 50 Series (Blackwell architecture) brings DLSS 4 and enhanced AI capabilities for both gaming and creator use cases.

Display and design stay premium

Razer isn’t fixing what isn’t broken. The Blade 16 retains its signature CNC-milled aluminum chassis, measuring just 14.9mm thick and weighing around 2.14kg.

The display remains a highlight. You get a 16-inch QHD+ OLED panel with a 240Hz refresh rate, now brighter and certified for VESA DisplayHDR TrueBlack 1000. It supports full DCI-P3 coverage, Calman calibration, and NVIDIA G-SYNC, making it just as suited for creators as it is for competitive gaming.

Battery life and efficiency improve

Despite the performance gains, Razer is also pushing efficiency. Thanks to Intel’s newer architecture and system-level optimizations, the Blade 16 can hit up to 13 hours of productivity use and up to 15 hours of video playback under ideal conditions.

That’s a notable improvement for a machine in this class, especially given its slim form factor.

Connectivity and audio step up

The 2026 Blade 16 gets a future-ready connectivity suite, including Thunderbolt 5, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 6.0. There’s also a full set of ports, from USB-A to HDMI 2.1 and an SD card reader.

Audio gets an upgrade too. The six-speaker system now supports THX Spatial Audio+ with virtual 7.1.4 surround, aiming to deliver more immersive sound both on speakers and headphones.

Price and availability

The Razer Blade 16 configured with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 (16GB VRAM) and 32GB LPDDR5X-9600MHz RAM is priced at US$3,499.99 / €3,599.99 MSRP.

It is available now, exclusively via Razer.com and select RazerStores worldwide.

Still the Blade, just sharper

At a glance, the 2026 Blade 16 doesn’t reinvent the formula. But under the hood, it pushes performance, memory speed, and efficiency forward in ways that matter.

It’s still the same idea: a no-compromise gaming laptop that looks like it belongs in a minimalist workspace — just faster, smarter, and a bit more future-proof this time around.